What does mosaic mean?
Word: Mosaic
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Mosaic means a picture or pattern made by setting tiny bits of coloured stone, glass or tile side by side, often on a floor or wall.
How do you spell mosaic?
Syllables: mo - sa - ic
Tricky part: The s is said like a z, so mozaic is a common slip. There is no z anywhere in the word.
Watch out for: mozaic, mossaic
Memory tip: Say "small stones make a mosaic": the s that starts small stones is the s in the middle of mosaic, even though it sounds like z.
Mosaic in a sentence
Example 1: Our class made a mosaic of a tiger from torn coloured paper and seeds.
Example 2: The swimming pool floor had a blue and green mosaic of a dolphin.
Example 3: Grandma pointed out the mosaic of mirror pieces on the ceiling of the old mansion.
Fun Fact
Nek Chand's Rock Garden in Chandigarh has figures and walls covered with pieces of broken tiles, bangles and crockery, set like a mosaic.
Practise the CREST Way
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
camois 123456
a) 346215
b) 346251
c) 436251
d) 364251
Show answer
b) 346251. Followed correctly, the numbers spell the picture made of tiny tiles.
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order:
o, a, i
a) d__n__s__ur
b) v__l__c__ty
c) m__s__ __c
d) n__v__g__te
Show answer
c) m__s__ __c. Mosaic takes those three in order; velocity needs e, o, i, navigate a, i, a and dinosaur i, o, a.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its meaning:
1. mural 2. sculpture 3. mosaic a. a figure carved or shaped from stone, wood or metal b. artwork made by fitting together lots of little tiles or chips c. a large picture painted straight onto a wall
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b. A mural is painted, a sculpture is carved or shaped, and a mosaic is pieced together from small bits.
Word Tally
How many words are misspelt in the given sentence?
Visitors to the old palace stop to admire a wall mosaic of a peacock with its tail spred wide above the main doorway.
a) 2
b) 0
c) 3
d) 1
Show answer
d) 1. Only spread is misspelt; every other word in the sentence is right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A mosaic of a sunflower looks like one smooth picture from far away. What would you see up close?
a) one smooth sheet of painted canvas
b) a single block of carved white stone
c) many small pieces with thin gaps between them
d) long brush marks of thick yellow paint
Show answer
c) many small pieces with thin gaps between them
2. A city is described as "a mosaic of cultures". This means that...
a) all its buildings are covered in tiles
b) many different groups of people live side by side
c) only one language is spoken there
d) nobody has lived there for very long
Show answer
b) many different groups of people live side by side
